Prices for just about everything have increased over the years, not least cars. Even a mid-spec saloon today can cost you well in excess of £30,000, for example.
So if you’re wanting to keep a close eye on the price of a new car, what’s available if you have a £30,000 budget? Here we round up five great options of all shapes and sizes.
Mercedes A-Class – from £25,105
The Mercedes A-Class has quickly become one of the UK’s most popular cars, and for good reason. It looks stunning and has an interior that wouldn’t look out of place on a car costing triple its price.
For a £30,000 budget you can choose it as either a hatchback or saloon, and if you want something that will be cheap to run, you should opt for the A180d model, which utilises a 114bhp 1.5-litre diesel engine and promises to return more than 60mpg, with CO2 emissions of 119g/km. A £30,000 budget also stretches to the sporty-looking AMG Line trim, which is hugely desirable.
Enquire on a new Mercedes A-ClassVolvo XC40 – from £25,420
Premium SUVs and crossovers tend to be expensive, with the majority costing well in excess of £30,000. However, Volvo and its smallest XC40 SUV successfully sneak under this threshold, with prices starting from just £25,420. Admittedly that will restrict you in terms of spec, but it will still get you a Momentum version with a 161bhp 1.5-litre petrol unit. Standard kit also still includes a digital driver siplay, 17-inch alloy wheels, a nine-inch touchscreen and automatic LED headlights, too.
Elsewhere the XC40 is one of the best-looking SUVs around, with a high-quality interior and a seriously spacious interior for a car of this size.
Enquire on a new Volvo XC40Skoda Octavia Estate – from £21,945
If you want value for money, few cars are better than the Skoda Octavia. 2020 marked the arrival of a new, fourth-generation Octavia, with this latest model available with electrified powertrains for the first time, as well as far more tech and also a much more stylish look.
But Skoda also hasn’t forgotten about the need for the Octavia to be both spacious and affordable – two areas where it’s always excelled. You can choose it as both a large hatchback or estate, and it’s the latter that’s our pick – offering an enormous 640-litre boot and a vast interior. And with prices starting from just £21,945, this Skoda offers remarkable value for money.
Enquire on a new Skoda OctaviaFord Fiesta ST – from £22,275
If you want a fun new car, you’d be impressed at just what you can still get for less than £30,000. While plenty of hot hatches have taken a step upmarket, and therefore are rather expensive, Ford’s superb Fiesta ST thankfully is still an affordable model.
With its willing 197bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine, a brilliant chassis and superb dynamics, few things are as enjoyable to drive as this Fiesta, and it’s even better when you consider it’s available from £22,275.
Enquire on a Ford FiestaMini Electric – from £24,900
And speaking of cars that are fun to drive, here we have a Mini. But unlike regular versions of the cool hatchback, this one’s not powered by a petrol engine, but rather an electric motor. Offering similar performance to the Cooper S, the Mini Electric is brilliantly quick, while unlike other EVs, it’ll soon bring a smile to your face when you realise how responsive and nimble it is, even with its heavy electric underpinnings.
Its 144-mile electric range is certainly not the longest available from a supermini (the Peugeot e-208 would be a better choice in this respect), but this Mini is ideal for those with smaller commutes or who largely drive around cities. It remains brilliantly-built and funky to look at as well, while prices starting from less than £25,000 make it one of the most affordable new electric cars on sale.
Enquire on a Mini
